Tearful Resonance
by Sabishii-Kitsune
Summary: Ichigo Kurosaki at age sixteen would like to live his last year at high school normally before he enters college. But unfortunately that's not gonna happen when hollows, plus spirits and some damned wannabe villains keep butting in. Tough luck.


Tearful ~ Resonance

3y87

The Strawberry, the Princess, the Tiger and Quincy

"_If I tell you mad about things would you believe me? Even if I say that Fate is mad to set us up again? Or would you walk away, like last time's, bed story?"_

Smoky and sultry things are always best suited for the dark, dimmed nights where the moon is at its grin and the clouds worships around her. Just like Karakura Town. Just like tonight. The bustling traffics caused by cars whose drivers are aching to go home, drowned the click clacking of heels near by the corner of a dark alley.

Truly tonight's beauty needed a crown. As an ivory black haired woman pulled a half drunken man into an alley, where she shushed him and pushed him into the slimy bricked wall. The man whimpered softly yet didn't complain as the beauty in front of him targeted his mouth for a rough kiss but stopped at mid-action.

"You know, what's for more fun Yajiri-_san_?" the woman purred almost like a geisha, and the man was too allured to answer—captivated by the pure black orbs. Kiss, kiss right at jugular.

The man slumped slightly as the woman continued to kiss his neck, always going back to the jugular; while her hands griped his hair and tie. Feeling overpowered the man pushed the girl by the shoulders pinning her against the opposite side and kissed her collar at the very middle. "I don't like feeling overpowered…" he whispers in her ear. And she just smirked, closing her eyes and opening them sensual again. Grabbing the man she kisses him on the mouth and pushes him into the wall.

Minutes later the man would drop to the ground, and seconds later the woman would turn into something disastrous. Yet beautiful—and tomorrow no one will find Yajiri again, at his job, at his home and his whole existence is wiped out. Just like erasing an ugly mistake in a will-be-soon-beautiful empty canvas.

Ichigo Kurosaki, a graduating student of Karakura High, sixteen years old. He's name would like to say he is pretty normal (also a sweet and sugary brother, student and son)—despite the opposing color of his hair, the permanent scowl on his face and an A graded record of gang fights and (**forged**, I repeat this information is _forged_) bullying of the following: midgets, feminine looking boys, four-eyed people and a certain boy who likes to chase girls—true to be told the list pretty much described a typical delinquent but when you're _the Kurosaki Ichigo_ then you're not everybody's typical delinquent nor are you normal. Because adding to the list of his—one thing a few people could do—Ichigo could see ghosts.

Kurosaki Ichigo could see ghosts. Ku-ro-sa-ki I-chi-go could see g-h-o-s-t-s.

If you're a passerby who holds the air of 'I-mean-serious-business-so-don't-talk-shit', then you ought to think this boy is high, drunk or even retarded. But unlike the people who knew how his world revolved, then they are pretty much the same as he or just simply a person who accepts what fate offers. Anyways, the aforementioned delinquent was headed somewhere not intentionally home.

His fingers grasped the shoji door sliding it open only to be greeted by Tessai, who was holding a tray with steaming cups of green tea.

"Ah…" caught unexpected Ichigo struggles for words, "Ano… Tessai-san, is Urahara-san in?"

The larger man beckoned Ichigo to come in and follow him. Tessai led Ichigo to the part of the shop where the owner was having a discussion with Yoruichi.

"Ah…Ichigo-kun it's nice of you to come by."

"Yeah… I want… to discuss some matters with you." Ichigo scratched the back of his head.

Kisuke only eyed him from the rim of his hat. "Please then, sit down." And Yoruichi eyed every one of his movements to sitting down.

Deserts are usually the places where the sun is high and mighty above. Its UV rays hitting in every direction and making the half sand land drier, that it had visible cracks on it.

Well it was a stupid idea to open the garganta in such place. _Oh, shut up._

Setsuna licked her dry lips and raised one hand behind her neck to cover it from the harsh rays of the sun. Her feet aching from the long walk, "Well this is dumb."

The fact she could just Shunpo away was restrained by the reasons that she was saving it for later.

It have been weeks since she last departed from the dimension she have stayed at, and the fact that she is forced to walk along a desert for no clear reason was making her anger boil. She kicked the sands she walked on, making it rise to the level of her shin before being carried backwards by the wind.

She scratched the back of her neck and continued to glare at the horizon in front of her. She's going to kill Kisuke for this; so much for being a kind sensei, you bastard.

The lighting in the place called desert, dimmed a little as Setsuna continued to walk her measures—squinting every now and then as the dimming light advanced further.

_Shit luck, walking in a desert._

The sun was already setting when the four of them departed from the Shop, their heads pounding lightly from the amount of information they receive from the shop owner. Improved hollows at that.

As if it wasn't bad enough that they fought against Arrancar and Aizen and mostly had the half part of Karakura Town destroyed, tch, right. Leave it to Ichigo to attract more mishaps with his overly powerful—_cough, cough, exaggerating, cough cough_—strong reiatsu _again_.

The awkward silence hung around Ichigo's group as they continued slowly walk away from the shop. (Note: agonizingly slow), Ichigo slowly repeated the conversation that went inside the shop, mentally.

"_Unless they plan to move another finger against us, will have to fight back,"_

"_It would take Soul Society weeks or days before they put the matter—of disappearing humans, that aren't even yet on list to die—to action."_

"_Until then, if another will show up this week or even after… it's in your conscience, to be either held responsible for this town or not."_

"—Ichigo-kun…?" Orihime's timid voice broke Ichigo from his reverie as he glanced over his shoulders only to find her brown eyes looking at him worriedly.

"What do you think? About this new information and events," Orihime asked again, looking down at her hands that were holding her bag from school.

Ichigo's eyes shifted to Uryū, who was walking with his head turned away from them—looking like he didn't want to be involved in another one of Ichigo's mishaps, to Chad who was also staring at him waiting for his answer patiently. Before going back to Orihime and the road in front of him, his amber eyes softening—as much as he didn't want to admit, he was confused.

"I don't know. It's too troublesome to think about it." Ichigo closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, putting both of hands behind his neck, before turning around the corner.

"See ya." He waved casually.

"Ah…wai-"

"Well… see you tomorrow, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime bid him farewell, so did Chad as they departed from the intersection. Going about on their own ways to their home.

The usual goes around, as Ichigo opened the front door only to be greeted by his father's flying kick—seriously the old pops never learn—avoiding it easily, making Isshin land on the cemented floor a few inches away for their doorstep.

"Ah, Ichi-nii welcome home!" Yuzu, his little sister, greeted him as she served their dinner, smiling at him. Ichigo nodded in acknowledgement and telling Yuzu that he will just change clothes and eat later on after that; but as soon as he reaches his room, he close the door shut and lies on his bed.

His mind tired from all the information and judgments.

Setsuna stood up from her resting spot, underneath a leafless thin tree of the desert, where the moon shines directly behind her, grabbing her nodachi from the sands beside her and swinging it over her shoulders; so that it rested on her shoulders while being supported with her left hand holding it.

She walked this time faster, the moon following her every step. Finally upon seeing a familiar, small structure made of bricks. Setsuna gives permission for a smirk to come over her lips as she neared the aforementioned structure.

It was a well, in the middle of the desert.

Setsuna observed the structure for a moment noticing the large square plate with a red arrow pointing upwards, sticking on to the well's front surface. Setsuna sighed, the miracles in deed of her sensei. Trust them to make her do unreasonable things with suspicious objects for no particular reason.

Without any hesitation, Setsuna jumped inside the well, the force of wind was making her hair and t-shirt be pulled back, as she waited to reach the end of the hole.

Ichigo Kurosaki woke with a start. There was the heavy feeling of reiatsu nearby and the familiar high-pitched screeching of hollows. His amber eyes were wide as he got up and looked outside the window, it was full moon, and the screeching got louder and brusquer like. Acting by instinct, Ichigo grabbed the badge Ukitake gave him.

Somewhere in the shadiest, quiet, darker part of Karakura Town, another creature was interfering with the lives of humans on this earth. A man in his middle-ages or older, stood near an alley way; flicking his cigarette every now and then his eyes glowing dangerously red. As he eyed carefully his next prey. Walking near a woman in a tight dress suit, while slicking back his grey hair—the man let his snake wangling out of its cage and charm the woman in front of him.

The following aftermath of the event caused a much more satisfied creature, in the outcome, after feeding off the lady. And the entire generalization, the certain middle-aged man released its brusque reiatsu: a heavy feeling to the stomach and a burning sensation to the throat.

Ichigo, who was flying into the night, caught the scene below him, causing him into a sudden halt. Instinct gone to exterminate the hollow, and was replaced by the curiosity on what was happening and what to do, surely enough standing below him was a common middle-aged man, with grey hair, nice built body though heavy in the middle, no fat… but heavy in the middle and was wearing a cleanly ironed tux.

What was odd is that he was standing in the shadiest part of Karakura and was wiping his mouth, while staring into distance, with his thumb. Ichigo stood still, gripping Zangetsu's hilt lightly as he debated; hey! Two odds against four, was hardly fair but majority wins.

"You shouldn't really stand aloof, when an enemy is around. _Niño._"

Ichigo's eyes went wide, as the man below him appeared before him in such speed, his left arm across his chest holding a knife, before lashing it out at him. Ichigo skipped backwards avoiding the knife completely, but damaging his clothing with a slight rip on the front surface. Ichigo unsheathes Zangetsu the second the man advances twirling the knife on his left hand dangerously.

"Come on Niño, _attack_." the language buffet of the man reminds Ichigo of someone back when they went to save Orihime in Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo gave him a glare, "Or I will," his threat hung itself in the air, and Ichigo complied to the first demand, rising Zangetsu above his head and cutting it downward as he appeared in front of the man.

The man blocked it with its blade, as made a kick for Ichigo's abdomen, which Ichigo dodge, backing away slightly. The man attacked Ichigo continuously after the attempt kick, cornering Ichigo to block and defenses. "What wrong, _Niño_? Attack me!" the man said smugly as he now turns his attack, to an obsessive manner, his once calm features turning drastically into something horrid: grinning maniacally and chuckling distortedly.

Ichigo was mentally pissed off, what's wrong with this dude? Ichigo getting tired of being cornered into defenses he uses shunpo and reappears behind the man, lashing Zangetsu on the man's left arm, cutting it off. The man paused, his eyes wide, as he felt his left arm being detached from him with a stinging pain. Before the man could move again, Ichigo lashed at him again cutting him in half.

Instead of the body disintegrating like ashes, the body just fell off on the ground. Ichigo stared at it for awhile not sure what to do: one, normally hollows that are slain disintegrates, second he didn't know if he just killed a human or a hollow right here. Though Urahara have given them information about this kind of hollow, so why was he doubting and feeling guilty? Aha-ha-ha-ha, it's not like the man would stand up again and maniacally attempt to slice him again…would he?

As if on cue, the man's body started to pieces its self together again, healing all wounds that Ichigo had tried to inflict on the man. Ichigo was indeed surprised. (What the fu—?)

"What's wrong _Niño_? Cat got your tongue?" the man asked rather much more smugly this time, fiddling with the knife again. Ichigo's eyes shifted from the surprised to a glare, readying Zangetsu steadily in front of him. He charged forward and sliced off the man's arm and beheaded him.

The man reassemble himself again, chuckling as Ichigo sliced again and again only to have that sliced off part be reassemble again. What the hell is this man?

The man laughed monosyllabically and yet still maniacally. Pausing for a moment—for good effects, "There's no use in your efforts, is there Niño? No matter much you try to cut me up! I'll always reassemble myself!" as if to prove his point—like he hasn't done that indirectly—he uses his knife to cut off various of his body: starting from his fingers and so on.

Ichigo watched wide eyed in horror. The chopped off part, this time didn't return to him, instead it materialize into another him, like a clone, while he grew back the missing part; Ichigo could only watch.

"What's wrong Niño?" the man asked again with the smug tone of his, as his clones attacked Ichigo, who snapped out of his trance and start attacking them back. The man _again_ laughed maniacally, cutting off his parts and growing it again. Ichigo was cornered as he lashed out Zangetsu on them.

_Damn, they seem to multiply more and more._

A blue arrow dashed through the night, hitting three clones in the head in one shot making it disintegrate. "I expected better from you, Kurosaki." Uryū said as he walked calmly out of the dark, pushing his glasses upward.

"Ishida!" Ichigo said in surprise looking at Uryū, forgetting about the lunatic creature in front of him.

"Watch your enemies! You idiot!" Uryū warns Ichigo as he shot an upcoming clone. Ichigo then turns back to the matter at hand—seeming to be comforted slightly that he had a partner in slaying this madness. But the more he cuts the clones, the more they multiply and the crazy man proves to be a challenge.

His back thumped against Uryū's in a sense of déjà vu, both of them wards off the multiplying clones, "I think, cutting them doesn't help that much," Uryū states he fires his arrows almost everywhere, Ichigo almost wanted to be sarcastic on his remark—you don't say.

"El Directo!" a familiar blast of spiritual power and husky voice came from the other side of the alley, and Ichigo doesn't have to turn his head back to see who it was.

A good amount of the clones vanished, disintegrated and never materialize again or grew back. The man just kept laughing either mulling over his lost or just plain insane. And it hits Ichigo—god, it was hard drilling into his stubbornness—that cutting them would only make it materialized again and again, so they have to pierce them or hit them one shot.

"I think we have to hit them one shot to make them disappear." Ichigo commented out loud, as he barely dodges an attack for his neck, making along nice light cut there.

"You don't say," Uryū mutters, as he leaped off the ground and on to a roof. The man, still, was cutting himself with a slight visible frown gracing his face.

Uryū's eyes caught something, moving fast downward—in a way, like how a hollow would drop from the sky and into the human world, but this one was fast and graceful…like how Yoruichi-san would move. The figure moving downward in fast pace, unsheathes the nodachi it was holding, the long metal was catching the moonlight, that it was gleaming, like long straight lightning.

And before they knew it the man who was pathetically cutting himself was pierced and lashed at and were now disintegrating to bits. As well were its clones. The figure knelt with one knee, on the roof top, the nodachi pointing high into the night sky, gleaming, as it looks like it was being swallowed by thick looking silks that fell down on the figure.

Chad looked up, withdrawing his fist as Ichigo snaps his head up to the figure that was now standing up, stabbing the nodachi into the roof she was standing on.

"Konbanwa, Substitute Shinigami-san."

**Author's note: please stop by, point out any mistakes and drop a review. Sorry for the delay, due to technology defaults. **


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